It really does seem like most brands that sell wool coats sacrifice any semblance of warmth for some style. But I agree that a good wool coat is very warm if you can find one!

I have to travel to Europe for work a couple times/year, and this seems to be one area where they are just WAAAAAY better than us Americans. I have a long wool coat (goes just below my knees) that I bought in Amsterdam that has an internal zipper piece, and then buttons over the zipper (hard to describe, but it basically looks like I'm wearing a matching zip-up turtleneck under my regular wool coat, only stylish), and also has a big hood. It's not as warm as my big puffy parka, but it's warmer than any other wool coat I've had. I wear it to work almost every day, and I commute by train/bus. I really only trade up to the puffy parka when it's grossly wet or something and also freezing cold, or if I'm planning to be outside for a while.

"I don't know! I don't know why I did it, I don't know why I enjoyed it, and I don't know why I'll do it again!" -BART SIMPSON